“We’re just a few weeks away from a very serious problem in terms of food,” he added.

The elections were widely seen as a referendum on President Maduro, the handpicked successor of Hugo Chavez, and the governing PSUV’s socialist policies.

The opposition accused Mr Maduro’s party of mismanaging the economy and of squandering the country’s oil wealth.

Venezuela has been hit hard by the continuing low price of oil, its main export. It also has the continent’s highest inflation rate.

Mr Maduro has blamed the situation on an “economic war” waged by the opposition.

The opposition also accused the government of increasing authoritarianism.

The election result also gives stronger momentum to the opposition should it wish to call a referendum on Mr Maduro’s future. This could take place only when his presidency reaches its halfway point in April next year.

However, some prominent opposition figures want to give Mr Maduro the opportunity to change policies they blame for the country’s economic crisis.

“If Maduro doesn’t change we’ll have to change the government. But the opposition’s response to the economic crisis right now can’t be more politics,” Henrique Capriles – who lost to Mr Maduro in the 2013 presidential elections – told AP.